“As a young person, I often am not offered a seat if I need a seat, so I created this initiative for people like me.” she said.

The buttons, or pins, are available in purple, green and blue with requests or statements: “Please Offer Me a Seat” and “My Disability is Episodic” or “My Disability is Invisible.”

Others feature an image of a person holding a graph with a line that goes up and down to suggest the unpredictable nature of a disability or illness.

Welsh said the buttons have been working, and in many cases, people don’t even have to ask for a seat. TTC riders will see a button and simply offer their seat.

“I’ve heard stories of people saying that they feel more confident sitting and taking up space that they need to take up.” Welsh said,

And she is pleased the buttons themselves are helping to raise awareness.

“I started this initiative as a very practical thing. I would like our society to understand that disability is not just about a wheelchair or a cane. Disability can depend on the person’s experience,” she said.

Stuart Green, spokesperson for the TTC, said the transit agency has no problem with the buttons.

“If people wish to wear a button that passively asks for a seat for any reason (pregnancy, disability), that is absolutely their right,” he said in an email.

“People, of course, can also politely ask for a seat if they feel comfortable doing so.”

Meanwhile, Transport for London in the U.K., is running a similar program with a button and card for those who may need a seat because they have impairments, conditions or illnesses, short term or long term.

The TTC is monitoring both programs.

With files from CBC

Kate Welsh created a simple, polite way for people with episodic or invisible disabilities to ask for a seat when riding

More stories

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

characters available

Note: By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that Radio Canada International has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Radio Canada International does not endorse any of the views posted. Your comments will be pre-moderated and published if they meet netiquette guidelines.

When you express your personal opinion in an online forum, you must be as courteous as if you were speaking with someone face-to-face. Insults and personal attacks will not be tolerated. To disagree with an opinion, an idea or an event is one thing, but to show disrespect for other people is quite another. Great minds don’t always think alike—and that’s precisely what makes online dialogue so interesting and valuable.

Netiquette is the set of rules of conduct governing how you should behave when communicating via the Internet. Before you post a message to a blog or forum, it’s important to read and understand these rules. Otherwise, you may be banned from posting.

RCInet.ca’s online forums are not anonymous. Users must register, and give their full name and place of residence, which are displayed alongside each of their comments. RCInet.ca reserves the right not to publish comments if there is any doubt as to the identity of their author.

Assuming the identity of another person with intent to mislead or cause harm is a serious infraction that may result in the offender being banned.

RCInet.ca’s online forums are open to everyone, without regard to age, ethnic origin, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

Comments that are defamatory, hateful, racist, xenophobic, sexist, or that disparage an ethnic origin, religious affiliation or age group will not be published.

In online speak, writing in ALL CAPS is considered yelling, and may be interpreted as aggressive behaviour, which is unpleasant for the people reading. Any message containing one or more words in all caps (except for initialisms and acronyms) will be rejected, as will any message containing one or more words in bold, italic or underlined characters.

Use of vulgar, obscene or objectionable language is prohibited. Forums are public places and your comments could offend some users. People who use inappropriate language will be banned.

Mutual respect is essential among users. Insulting, threatening or harassing another user is prohibited. You can express your disagreement with an idea without attacking anyone.

Exchanging arguments and opposing views is a key component of healthy debate, but it should not turn into a dialogue or private discussion between two users who address each other without regard for the other participants. Messages of this type will not be posted.

Radio Canada International publishes contents in five languages. The language used in the forums has to be the same as the contents we publish. The usage of other languages, with the exception of some words, is forbidden. Messages that are off-topic will not be published.

Making repetitive posts disrupts the flow of discussions and will not be tolerated.

Adding images or any other type of file to comments is forbidden. Including hyperlinks to other websites is allowed, as long as they comply with netiquette. Radio Canada International is in no way responsible for the content of such sites, however.

Copying and pasting text written by someone else, even if you credit the author, is unacceptable if that text makes up the majority of your comment.

Posting any type of advertising or call to action, in any form, to Radio Canada International forums is prohibited.

All comments and other types of content are moderated before publication. Radio Canada International reserves the right to refuse any comment for publication.

Radio Canada International reserves the right to close a forum at any time, without notice.

Radio Canada International reserves the right to amend this code of conduct (netiquette) at any time, without notice.

By participating in its online forums, you allow Radio Canada International to publish your comments on the web for an indefinite time. This also implies that these messages will be indexed by Internet search engines.

Radio Canada International has no obligation to remove your messages from the web if one day you request it. We invite you to carefully consider your comments and the consequences of their posting.

Hello I was wondering if I could buy a green “My disease is invisible” button? I have gastroparesis and several other issues brought on with my GP. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU CHARGE FOR THEM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH KITREANA BRUNEAU